Apparatus for processing photographic material



United States Patent [72] Inventor Serge Carrie 36 Rue des Archives, Paris, France [21] Appl. No. 702,709 [22] Filed Feb. 2, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 29, 1970 [32] Priority Feb. 6, 1967, June 23, 1967 [33] France [31] Nos.PV93750andPV 111784 [54] APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 95/93 [51] Int. Cl 603d 3/08 [50] Field otSearch 95/89, 90.5,

93, 96, 97, 98, 99; 134/157, 159, (Inquired C1118,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,845 7/1957 Nieth 95/89X 2.947.236 8/1960 Siegel 95/93 3.088.391 S/1963 Sigler 95/93 3,119,319 1/1 964 Debrie 95/89 3,292,519 12/1966 Hallquist 5/99 3,437,030 4/1969 Mastrosimone et al 95/89X Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Fred L. Braun Att0rney- Lawrence E. Laubscher ABSTRACT: An apparatus for processing photographic material in which the material is placed inside a rotatable hollow drum containing a processing solution. The rotatable drum has an aperture in one of its end walls for permitting the processing solution to drain from the drum by gravity after the material has been processed. The apparatus has a drive mechanism for oscillating the drum between a first and second position in which the processing solution is moved over the exposed surface of the material and is prevented from draining through the drum aperture. After the material has been processed, a control device actuates the drive mechanism to rotate the drum to a third position in which the solution is permitted to drain from the aperture.

PATEN-TEU 050291970 SHEET 1 BF 3 M? iNVENTOR m ATTORNEY PATENTED DECZS I970 SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTOR BY W 6 W ATTORNEY PATENTEDO029|970 3550.521

. SHEET 3 OF 3 UUBUUB- 48 Illllllllllllllllll 46-"- E INVENTOR ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to a method and apparatus of processing photographic material by contact with processing liquid.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of processing photographic material which comprises locating material in a receptacle having an internal wall being a surface of revolution, the lower part of which is substantially horizontal, that part together with a part of each of a pair of radially inwardly projecting walls defining a bath, supplying processing liquid to the bath and'oscillating the receptacle about the axis of revolution to thereby subject material to the liquid, by an angular amount whichis limited by an opening in one radial wall, thereafter rotating the-receptacle to bring the opening into the region if the receptacle where the liquid lies and discharging the liquid through the opening.

According to the invention there is further provided apparatus for processing photographicmaterial which apparatus comprises a receptacle mounted for rotation about the axis of an internal surface of the receptacle which is a surface of revolution, the receptacle being positioned with the lower part of the surface substantially horizontal and initially that part of the surface and a part of each ofa pair of radially inwardly directed walls defining a bath, means for supplying processing liquid to the bath and a drive operable to oscillate the bath through an angle limited by a discharge opening in one radial wall, a control being provided to bring the opening into the in itial position of one of said wall parts-to discharge liquid from the bath.

In order that the present invention may be well understood there will now be described one embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference 'beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of-the oscillating tank;

FIG. 2 is a section along line [H] of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the tank feed device, and

FIG. 4 is a front view of the machine.

The machines main componentis the cylindrical tank or drum 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of corrosion-resistant steel, which is mounted so that it can oscillatein alternate directions about its longitudinal axis.

The tank accordingly bears onfour hard rubber rollers 2 keyed on two driving shafts 3 and 3' of treated steel.

Shafts 3 and 3' are driven by synthetic plastics bevel gears 3a and 3b mounted on the end ofshafts 3 and 3 and on a shaft 4 connected to a motor (not shown).

Alternatively, tank 1 can have a crown wheel meshing with a straight-toothed gear wheel keyed on shaft 4.

One end of the tank has a collar la and the other end is partly closed by a cover 5 bounding a circular opening 5a and mounted on the tank in sealing tight manner.

The end wall closure meanscooperate with the cylindrical wall of the drum to define a liquid-receiving trough when the drum is in the illustrated horizontal position.

Collar la, which is integral with the tank, has an opening 6 for evacuating liquid from the tank.

The tank periphery has cams 7, 8 and 9 acting on electric reversing switches 10 and 11.

Cams 7 and 8 are at an angle to the tank so that when they act on reversing switches 10 and 11, shaft 4 reverses its rotation when there is a danger that opening 6 will allow a given quantity of liquid to escape (see FIG. 2). FIG. 2 shows that the direction should be reversed when opening 6, shown in solid lines, reaches the position shown in chain-dotted lines and at a symmetrical position with respect to the vertical bath angle a The angle between these positions is approximately 50, so that the tank oscillates over approximately 310.

The tank movement is controlled by a conventional punched-tape programmer.

After processing, the programmer disconnects reversing switch 10 and allows the tank to continue rotating until cam 9 comes in contact with the switch. When the tank is in this position, aperture 6 is on its vertical axis and allows the liquid to run out. g

At this moment, the programmer switches on a motor driving shaft 12 keyed to cam 13 and acting on lever 14, which is articulated on a fixed shaft 15 carrying a roller 16 bearing on the bottom of the tank.

Cam 13 thus causes the front of the tank to rise so that it tilts towards the back and enables the liquid to flow out.

The tank is inside a casing 17 closed by a door l8 bearing on a gasket 19.

The space enclosed by the casing is kept at a constant temperature by a flow of hot air provided by a fan 20 propelling air towards electric resistances2l controlled by a thermostat 22, so as to keep the products in the bath at a temperature of 38.7". The thermostat can be accurate to or 1 C. This accuracy is kept constantan important requirement-by an electronic relay and a thermometentype mercury electric probe. The temperature can be very accurately controlled, to within one-twentieth of a degree C. owing to the inertia inside the tank.

Experiments show that the required temperature in tank I can be obtained if the hot air leaving duct 23 by deflector 24'is at 70 C.

The programmer automatically operates solenoid valves 25 and 25 controlling the flow of liquid out of the storage vessels above the machine.

FIG. 3 shows the feed device. The top part shows two lines of storage vessels for processing films and papers respectively.

Vessels 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, for example, can contain the developing, stop, bleaching, clearing and buffer baths respectively. The line of vessels 26', 27', 28, 29, and 30' contain baths for processing papers.

These storage vessels are arranged above metering devices 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 likewise regulated by solenoid valves 37 and connected by flexible pipes 38 and 38' to the storage vessels.

Metering devices 3] to 36 are connected to bath 1 by flexi ble pipes 39.

When necessary, reversal exposure can be made using a lighting device 40 which can be fastened to door 18 of casing 17.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the machine, and shows flexible pipes 39 attached to the metering devices in the machine.

On the upper panel, there are two lines of illuminated indicators 41 and 41' for the processing of films and papers respectively. These indicate what feed operations are in progress. These operations are controlled from a movable board 42 containing switches 43 .for solenoid valves 25 and 25' and a reversing switch 44 for connecting either solenoid valves 25 used for processing films, or solenoid valves 25 for processing papers.

The washing operation is shown by an indicator 45. This operation is automatically started by the programmer, like the flow of products into the bath from the metering devices and the emptying of the bath.

The main panel shows the programmer 46, a thermometer 47, knob 48 of a thermostat for the washing water and, below, knobs 49, 50 and 51 for controlling switches for heating the bath to 24, 29.5 or 37.8 C. These temperatures are determined in advance but can easily be changed.

52 denotes the programmer switch, and switch 53 is for the motor causing the tank to oscillate,

A switch 54 enables the tank to be moved quarter-turns in alternate directions, so that the papers can be laid all over the cylinder inside surface and held in position by magnetised bars adhering to the tank wall. The papers and securing bars can easily be put in position through circular opening 6, without opening cover 5.

The films are developed in corrosion-resistant wire trays matching the internal shape of the tank.

When the films have been put in position in the development zone, they are immersed in the tank by lifting cover 5.

Finally, the room where the machine is situated can be lit by switch 55.

The machine that has been described is a nonlimitative example and its shape and other details can be altered without departing from the scope of the invention.

lclaim: 1. Apparatus for processingphotographic materials, comprising: v

a horizontal hollow drum having a cylindrical sidewall and a pair of end walls; a 1 f means supporting said drum for oscillation about its longitudinal axis, the side and end walls of said drum cooperating to define a trough for receiving a given quantity of liquid when said drum has a given'firs't angular position relative to said support means, at least one of said end walls containing a liquid discharge" opening arranged above the level of the liquid when sa-iddrumis in said first position, said drum being rotatable about its axis through a given angle toward a second position in which said liquid discharge opening is above the liquid level; drive means for oscillating said drum between said first and second positions and in a directionto maintain said liquid discharge opening above the liquid level of saiddrum; and I i means alternately operable withisaiddrive means for rotating said drum to a third position in which said discharge opening is beneath the liquidlevel to permit the gravity discharge of said liquid from-said drum.

' 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further including means for angularly displacing said drum about a horizontal axis normal to the vertical planetha't contains the longitudinal axis of said drum, whereby onee'nd of said drum may be elevated relative to the other end to assist in the discharge of liquid when said drum is in saidthird position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said support means includes also a stationary housing containing said drum; and further wherein said drive means comprises reversing switch means connected 'with said casing for reversing the direction of moveme'ntqof said drum, and cam means connected with said. drum for operating said reversing switch means during the oscillatory travel of said drum means, respectively. 1' I f 4. Apparatus as defined in-clairn l, and further including means for supplying liquid to said drum, comprising a plurality of processing liquid, reservoirs, and metering means connecting said reservoirs with said drum,respectively.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4,. and further including program control means for controlling the operation of said metering means and said driver'neans, respectively. I

6. Apparatus for processing photographic materials, comprising: t

a horizontal hollow drum havingacylindrical sidewall and a pair of end walls; I means including a casing supporting said drum for oscillation about its longitudinal axis,- the side and end walls of said drum cooperating todefine a trough for receiving a given quantity of liquid when said drum has a given first angular position relative to said support means, at least oneofsaid end walls containing a liquid discharge opening arranged above the level of the liquid whensaid drum is in said first position, said drum beingrotatable about its axis through a given angle toward a second 7 position in which said liquid discharge opening is above the liquid level; drive means for oscillating said drum between said first and second positions and in a direction to maintain said liquid discharge opening above the liquid level of said drum;

means alternately operable with said drive means for rotating said drum to a third position in which said discharge opening is beneath the liquid level to permit the gravity discharge of said liquid from said drum; and

means for circulating heated air through said casing, comprising heater means mounted within said casing, normally deactivated fan means for circulating air across said heater means to elTect heating of the air, and temperature responsive means including a thermostat arranged in said casing for activating said fan means. 

